Windmill control



Oct. 15, 1940.

R. c. ROBSON ET AL 2,218,051

WINDMILL CONTROL Filed Jan. 10, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l R. L. Robso C- G- Robson IN V EN TOR5 ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 15, 1940. R. c. ROBSON ET AL WINDMILL CONTROL Filed Jan. 10, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UJfiJbS on C. @Robsoru IN V ENTQRS A TTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 15, 1940 1 iter .0- mso'n; also,

and Charles catsuit. 4

fij-cla'im, 1 (01.2204;

This invention'relates to means for controlling the operation of windmills or other fmotors utilized for the purpose of pumping-liquid'si f An object of the inventionisto-utilize a per-'- tion of the elevated liquid as a means for operating the brake mechanism of the motor, said portion of the elevatedliquid being utilized automatically as soon as the liquid within a storage tank or the likeh-as been brought to a predetermined level by the operation of the motor.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which can be installed readily, is simple in construction, and can be produced at low cost.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a View partly in elevation and partly in section showing the complete apparatus -constituting the present invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of a portion of the apparatus showing the relative positions of the parts while the storage reservoir isbeing filled.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the controlling tank.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of said tank, the engaged portion'of the pump casing being shown in section.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55, Figure 4, taken through the tank.

Figure 6 is a. horizontal section through the tank and the adjacent portion of the pump cas- 111g.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference I designates a windmill structure of any preferred make into which projects the upper portion of a well casing 2 having a pump rod 3 adapted to be driven by the windmill by any suitable mechanism provided therefor. Such mechanism includes any preferred type of brake adapted to be actuated by a brake line 4. These features of the invention are all well known in the art and for that reason it is not deemed necessary to describe or illustrate them in detail.

A storage reservoir 5 can be located at any point desired and can be joined to one or more troughs 6 or the like by any suitable arrangement of pipes usual float controlled valve 8 can beemployed in I the trough for shutting off the supply of liquid thereto when'the level there'of'rises to a predetermined-point. g y y Reservoir 5 communicates with the upper por-- tion of the well casing 2 through a pipe 9 and that end of this pipe which opens into the reservoir is likewise provided with a valve IIlthe operation of which is controlled by a float I I. These parts are so constructed and arranged that when the level of the liquid in the reservoir reaches a predetermined height, float I I will close valve II]. A tank I2 formed preferably of sheet metal is mounted to slide longitudinally along that portion of the well casing 2 located-within the structure I. This tank may be substantially semicylindri-cal, as shown or can be of any other preferred configuration. In practice it is designed to form a channel I3 in one wall of the tank extending from top to bottom thereof, this channel being proportioned to receive a portion of casing 2 so that said casing can thus be used as a guide or track along which the tank can slide. For the purpose of holding the tank to the casing 2, retaining straps I4 can be attached to the tank I2 and embrace the casing loosely.

'l ank I2 is preferably open at the top and is of course closed at the bottom. The top edges of the walls can be suitably reenforced, as indicated at I5 and reenforcing rods I6 or the like can be located along the bottoms of the tank walls. Likewise combined reenforcing and wear strips I! can be secured along the surface of the guide channel I3 for contact with the casing and for stiffening the tank. Connecting ears or lugs I8 are secured to the walls of the tank adjacent its upper end and these are joined by upwardly converging cables or rods I9 to the lower end of the brake line 4.

An outlet nipple 20 is extended downwardly from the bottom of the tank I2 and is connected to one end of a flexible hose 2| the other end of which is joined to a nipple 22 opening into the pipe 9. The hose 2| is of sufficient length to permit efiicierrt up and down movement of tank I2 on casing 2 to operate the brake of the windmill to either stop or release the mechanism.

It will be obvious, of course, that when the brake mechanism of the windmill is released, the tank I2 will be supported in an elevated position by the usual spring-restrained brake mechanism, this tank being empty under such conditions. As the windmill operates it will reciprocate the pump rod 3 and elevate liquid within casing 2 so that 1', it being understood that the it will be delivered through pipe 9 into the reservoir 5. When the liquid reaches the predetermined level within this reservoir, the float operated valve ID will close. Thus further actuation of the pump by the windmill will cause the delivered liquid to flow upwardly through hose 2| into tank l2 and as this tank is gradually filled, the weight of the liquid added thereto will cause the tank to move by gravity from an elevated position, as shown in Figure 2, to a lowered position as shown in Figure 1. be suflicient to actuate the brake line 4 with the result that the brake mechanism will be operated to stop the actuation of the windmill.

As the supply of liquid is drawn from the reservoir 5 and the level of the liquid lowered, valve II! will be opened and the surplus liquid contained Within tank I2 will drain downwardly through hose 2i to pipe 9 thence into the reservoir 5. As the liquid is thus withdrawn from the tank said tank will ascend under the action of the springcontrolled brake mechanism so that the windmill will be'released from the action of thebrake and can begin operation to again hoist liquid and deliver it to the reservoir. Thereafter the operation will be the same as has already been described.

This movement will In Figure 1 the spring of the brake mechanism which operates through said mechanism to hold the tank 12 normally elevated, has been shown at 23.

It has been found that the mechanism herein described is especially useful in connection with windmills employed for pumping water but obviously it can be employed wherever a motordriven pump is to be employed for elevating any kind of a liquid other than water.

What is claimed is:

A brake-actuating means for pumps or the like including a tank open at the top, upwardly converging means connected to the walls of the tank for attachment to a brake line, said tank having a flat Wall and an arcuate wall, there being a channel extending from top to bottom of the tank within the flat wall, reenforcing means extending along the upper edge of the tank to hold the open end of the tank against collapse, combined reenforcing and wear strips extending longitudinally along the wall of the channel, spaced arcuate means bridging the channel and secured to the tank, and a guide positioned between said strips and the wall of the channel.

ROBERT C. ROBSON. CHARLES G. ROBSON. 

